Why We Believe We Should Protect Each Others Purity

(Exodus 20:14; 2 Samuel 11)

I. Introduction.
A. Orientation.

Jesus says

Should love God

All heart, mind, soul, strength;

And love neighbor as self.

But how?

Everyone seems to have own way,

But God has His.

If love Him,

Must do His way,

That includes how love each other.


Weve seen to love others,

Must respect authority God gives

In state, church, home

Must protect life

Not only in actions,

But in thoughts, intentions/desires, words.

B. Preview.

This evening,

See must also protect each others purity.
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This particularly relevant todays world

Where western culture so fixated

On, pardon the word, sex.

Its so powerful,

Everything marketed with it;

So desirable,

Everyone seems intent on

Getting as much as they can.


God created it to be good,

But something to be enjoyed

Only in context of marriage,

That a couple may also have children,

And that they might be raised

In ways of the Lord.

The failure to do that

Has resulted in problems we see.


Not forget,

Marriage primarily for companionship.

If put act of marriage in its place,

Can destroy the relationship

Consider all broken marriages among celebs

When no longer fun,
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No longer care.


In light of this,

How can we protect our own

And our neighbors purity?


Lets consider:

1. Why we need to do this.

2. How to do this.

II. Sermon.
A. First, why important that we do?

God commands.

But why command?

Because loves us,

Because for our good.


This desire has potential

To create very strong relational bond,

Something that outside of marriage not good.


To fall to this sin

Can result in children.

But children need stable family

Need father and mother

To be balanced and healthy.

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Because very addicting

Has potential to become an idol.


Because its right

That a man and woman

Stay married for life.

The only exceptions are:

Divorce for biblical grounds

Adultery or desertion

And death

If our spouse dies,

We may marry again,

But only a believer (1 Cor. 7:39)

That true of first marriage as well (2 Cor. 6:14).


For these reasons

The Lord forbids these relations

Outside of marriage,

And warns that sexually impure

Wont enter heaven.

Paul writes, Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom
of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers,
nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards,
nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

Consider how many these are sexual sins:

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Fornication is relationship between two unmarried.

Adultery is with someone other than spouse,

Or with someone elses spouse.

Effeminate refers to a man who behaves like a woman in a homosexual
relationship.

While homosexual here refers to a man who behaves like a man towards another
man who is effeminate in a homosexual relationship.

Its interesting that idolater

Falls into this grouping.

Perhaps Paul is pointing out here

That these sins are form of idolatry

It certainly has become case today.


Is this true just of these sins? (That wont enter heaven)

No. Its true of every sin.

The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23).

If dont repent of any sin

Will destroy you.


Does that mean

No hope for those who done these things?

No. If repent and trust, there is hope.

Paul writes, Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were
sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the
Spirit of our God (v. 11).

He will forgive and cleanse of all sin

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If turn to Him in faith.


Does that mean

If youre tempted to these

Wont inherit kingdom?

No. Were all tempted variety of ways.

Not sin to be tempted, but to fall to temptation.

But dont forget,

Sin to fall in thoughts/imaginations,

Desires and words,

Not just actions.


That being case,

Dont want to fall short ourselves

Or be the cause of others to fall.


B. How can we protect ourselves and each other?

First, there are more obvious applications:

Dont commit sexual sin

Outside of marriage.


Dont do anything that leads to that act.


If you dont have gift contentment,

Then seek wife.


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If married, keep self only for spouse.

Cultivate relationship with spouse

In all areas, not just act of marriage.

Be true companions and helpers to one another.


But there are other ways

That we often dont think of

Because were so steeped

In our impure culture.


Lets consider two:

1. Dont provoke impure thoughts in others.

2. Dont allow yourself to entertain impure thoughts about others.


First, dont provoke impure thoughts in others.

How can you do this?

Through at least four of the five senses:

Touch, hearing, smell, and sight.


All the matter/stuff of ideas

Comes through the senses.

Need to make sure

Not communicating ideas

That stumble others.


Touch:
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Dont get too close.

Touch very stimulating.

Perhaps young ladies dont understand

How young men work,

But theyre very touchy

In more than one sense.

Doesnt take much contact

To stumble them.

All have something called hormones

That are stimulated through mind

As its informed by the senses.

Its up to you not to make sure

You dont provide that stimulation.

Maintain distance

Personal space

Need to limit, if not eliminate, contact:

Dont hug,

Dont hold hands,

Dont put hand around waist or shoulders,

Dont kiss.


But you say dont want to stop

Because its too much fun.

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Yes, because stimulating,

But realize its like pouring gas on fire

This true of all the stimuli

Once fire gets strong enough

Wont be able to put out.

The wisest man who ever lived

Wrote in this context: Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be
burned? Or can a man walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? (Prov.
6:27-28).


Hearing:

Be careful what you say.

Dont flirt.

Dont be suggestive.

Dont put impure ideas in mind.


Smell:

Be careful how much/what kind perfume,

That also stimulating,

Provokes desire.


Particularly sight:

Be careful what you wear.

The more skin you show,

The more desire will provoke.


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Even godless society understands this:

Why dont they to this day

Even as bad as we are

Not allow clothes to be optional?

As saw things progressing growing up

Thought would be so by today,

But not.

Why not?

They know too much temptation not good

Sexual crimes would skyrocket beyond what already,

Would be even more obsessed than now,

No work get done.


Desire increases relative to how much skin shows

As well as how attractive

And decreases relative to how much not show

Especially in particular areas,

And with particular gender.

Just ask any man young or old

Whether this provokes desire.


And so need to be careful.

Comfort not main concern.

Whether fashionable, not main concern.

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Whether provoking others to lust is.


When you wear provocative clothing,

You tempt and stumble those around you.

Can make them sin in mind,

Incite them to lust,

And make them liable to fall.


We have enough to deal with in our culture.

Without stumbling each other as well.

Have mercy on your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Honor the Lord:

Be careful how you touch,

Be careful what you say,

How much and what kind perfume you put on,

Especially what you wear:

Cover yourself.

How much?

Enough not to provoke lust.


2. But what about the other end.

How protect self from lust?

Impurity begins in mind,

Moves heart,

Becomes action.
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Need to guard mind,

By guarding gateways to mind:

Be careful what you look at.

Be careful what you listen to.

How you touch,

What you smell.


If you have seen, heard, touched, smelled,

If already in mind,

Be careful what you allow self to think/imagine.


Once there, hard to deal with,

Better to keep from entering.

But need to deal with if already there.

If gains control of mind,

Will move heart,

Will produce sinful actions.


Consider our passage:

Bathsheba was bathing in public,

David saw,

Didnt turn away, but lusted,

Took her,

Committed adultery with her,
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And ended up murdering her husband.


Dont think could happen to us,

But can.

And so protect yourself

Guard the gateway of mind.


And protect others:

Guard their purity as well.

That is how Lord wants you to love them.

And this is how He wants you to love Him. Amen.

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